Jelly Roll’s Daughter Bailee Surprises Him, Bunnie Xo With Prom Night

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Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo have waited all their life for a night like this.

Jelly Roll was surprised with a prom night by his 17-year-old daughter, Bailee Ann, from a previous relationship. She planned it for her father and his wife because neither of them got to go to their own high school prom, and the event happened just before Jelly Roll’s 41st birthday.

Alyssa DeFord, known as Bunnie, posted a heartwarming video montage of the evening. It began with Bailee guiding Bunnie and her husband, Jason DeFord (also known as Jelly Roll), into a large event venue, and all three were dressed as if attending prom.

This week, I realized something important about parenting,” she shared in the caption of her December 3rd Instagram video. “My daughter, Bailee, has never enjoyed school dances. But my husband and I didn’t go to ours, so we always encouraged her to go, hoping she’d create the fun memories we didn’t have.

It’s been a really tough year—busy schedules, struggling with mental health, and feeling completely burned out,” she explained. “We’ve all been keeping to ourselves and really don’t like being surprised. So when Bailee said she had a surprise for us, I immediately started worrying, especially since we’d promised J there would be no surprises for their birthday. But we went anyway, to support our friend, even though we were all exhausted.

The woman, age 45, explained her reaction when she discovered what Bailee had planned for her and Jelly Roll, who also has a 9-year-old son named Noah from a previous relationship.

We were completely surprised when we walked in—the room was filled with our friends and family! Bunnie described it as a night ‘Under the Stars,’ a prom and birthday party she’d planned for us. She even crowned us King and Queen, and we spent the night dancing and singing like we were teenagers finally having our dream moment.

She explained that their baby just wanted to see them happy. The baby accomplished everything on her own, taking care of every single detail.

We were completely surprised when we walked in – the room was filled with our friends and family! Bunnie described it as a night ‘Under the Stars,’ a prom and birthday party she’d planned for us. She even crowned us King and Queen, and we spent the night dancing and singing like we were teenagers finally having their dream moment.

She explained that their baby did it all just to see them happy. It was completely her own doing, and she didn’t leave out a single thing.

Bunnie ended the video by sharing the lesson that Bailee’s surprise taught her.

She thought to herself that time is our most valuable possession. It’s best spent with the people we care about, because the memories we create together will last longer than anything else.

Keep reading for more on Bunnie and Jelly Roll’s romance…

Bunnie Xo and Jelly Roll’s relationship started in Las Vegas. Bunnie shared on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast that she first met the singer in August 2015 while he was performing at the Las Vegas Country Saloon, before he became famous. He was living in a van at the time, and the show had a small audience of around 20 people.

Despite their initial differences – Bunnie said he wasn’t typically her type, and he was a fan of Taylor Swift – they felt an instant connection. “It was the most cliché thing ever,” she explained, “but I felt like I’d found who I was supposed to be with.”

However, a romance didn’t begin immediately. Both were involved in other situations. They reconnected in October 2015, and Bunnie quickly fell for him. After her previous partner went to prison, she gave Jelly Roll her number through a friend, and he started reaching out for advice about his daughter, Bailee.

Their connection became romantic in July 2016 when Jelly Roll returned to Vegas to film videos. After a drunken encounter, Bunnie remembered him asking about her five-year plan. He then agreed to pursue a relationship, saying, “Let’s do it.”

Bunnie and Jelly Roll followed through on their plans quickly. They got married in Las Vegas in August 2016, and, as Bunnie shared on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast, they completed a five-year plan they’d made together, culminating in buying a house.

Bunnie also had her own ambitions, including starting a podcast. Jelly Roll explained on The Howard Stern Show that when Bunnie left the sex work industry in 2019, he asked her what she was passionate about, and she expressed a desire to host a talk show. She launched the Dumb Blonde podcast later that year.

Bunnie used money she earned to support Jelly Roll’s career. She invested in his 2017 album, Addiction Kills, and helped him with legal matters related to gaining custody of his daughter, as she revealed on Sofia Franklyn’s Sofia with an F podcast.

Jelly Roll’s daughter, Bailee, was born in 2008 while he was in prison for drug dealing. He credits Bailee with saving his life, even though she was very young at the time. Bailee remembers him entering her life around age two, when he was starting his music career and living in a van. While Jelly Roll admits he wasn’t very present as a father initially, things changed when he fought for full custody of Bailee as her mother struggled with addiction.

Even though Jelly Roll and his now-wife, Bunnie, were early in their relationship, she financially supported his legal battle for custody. This led both of them to re-examine their own lives. Bunnie realized they couldn’t provide a stable home for Bailee while still battling their own addictions, and she made the decision to get sober.

Bunnie also embraced a maternal role, and in 2024, for Bailee’s 16th birthday, she expressed gratitude to Jelly Roll for allowing her to be the mother she never had, and thanked Bailee for the healing lessons she’d learned over the past eight years.

Jelly Roll and Bunnie welcomed their son, Noah, around the time of their wedding in August 2016, while Jelly Roll was also navigating a custody battle for his daughter, Bailee. He shared his hopes for Noah on Facebook, saying he prayed his son and Bailee wouldn’t have to suffer for his past mistakes.

Over the years, Jelly Roll and Bunnie have generally kept Noah’s life private, but they’ve occasionally shared small updates. In July 2023, Bunnie posted a TikTok video of her asking Noah about his favorite things – soccer and playing in the water – but emphasized that she got permission from Noah’s mother first.

Bunnie and Jelly Roll have a good relationship with Noah’s mother, with Bunnie describing her as a wonderful person who helps care for Noah, especially when Jelly Roll and Bunnie are touring. Bunnie often expresses her joy in being Noah’s stepmother, saying it’s a privilege to watch him grow up and she’s grateful for both Noah and his mother.

Jelly Roll and Bunnie separated two years after getting married. Jelly Roll later admitted he had been unfaithful, calling it a low point in his life. Despite the infidelity, the couple decided to work on their relationship and reconciled in 2018. He said repairing the trust was difficult but ultimately made them stronger. While he wishes the affair hadn’t happened, he’s proud of the couple they’ve become. Bunnie reflected on the difficult time, sharing on TikTok that their breakup and subsequent reconnection led them on an incredible journey. She described their initial struggles as necessary for building a stronger, more solid foundation for their relationship, and reaffirmed her love for him.

As Jelly Roll became more famous, he and his wife, Bunnie, made their red carpet debut together at the 2022 CMA Awards. In his documentary, Jelly Roll: Save Me, Bunnie described them as “the Addams Family of country music—we don’t really fit in, but here we are.”

Jelly Roll and Bunnie celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary in 2023 by renewing their vows. Looking back on their original wedding day, Bunnie recalled Jelly Roll promising her things would get better and that they would overcome the challenges they faced together. He kept that promise.

Bunnie described the last seven years as a difficult but rewarding journey. They worked hard to heal from past traumas, build a healthy relationship, and create a stable home for Bailee, their daughter. Through everything, they faced challenges together with smiles and unwavering support.

Bunnie expressed her deep love and admiration for Jelly Roll, calling him her soulmate, safe haven, and best friend. She believes he’s one of a kind, and she’s incredibly grateful to have him in her life.

Jelly Roll and Bunnie continue to have a loving relationship, and she’s even been the inspiration behind some of his music, including the songs “Woman” and “Kill a Man.” He told Entertainment Tonight that she’s “the best,” and he struggled to write a sincere love song without sounding cheesy. He wanted to express how deeply he feels for her while still being true to himself. He explained that he doesn’t have eyes for anyone else and wanted the song to reflect that vulnerability. The couple also appeared together in the music videos for “Wheels Fall Off” and “Lonely Road,” which featured Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox.

Bunnie is a devoted fan and supporter of her husband, Jelly Roll, whether she’s at his shows or watching from home. She publicly praised him ahead of the 2024 CMT Music Awards, highlighting that his success wasn’t sudden – it was the result of twenty years of hard work. She described a journey filled with both quiet struggles and now, packed arenas.

Bunnie admires Jelly Roll’s songwriting, calling his music ‘therapeutic hymns’ that deeply connect with listeners, offering them comfort and understanding. Fans are touched by the couple’s strong bond and unwavering support for each other.

She affectionately calls him ‘Papabear’ and believes his voice has the power to heal, seeing the world as his audience. Bunnie expresses her eternal love for him, hoping to be by his side in every lifetime. Jelly Roll equally champions Bunnie, praising her success with social media and her podcast, and expressing immense pride in her ability to inspire others, especially women.

Bunnie Xo is fiercely protective of her husband, Jelly Roll, and won’t tolerate anyone attacking him. She recently spoke out against hurtful online comments he received about his weight before losing over 200 pounds, explaining that he was forced to step away from the internet due to the bullying. While Jelly Roll tries to hide his pain, Bunnie says the comments deeply affect him. She strongly refuted the idea that celebrities should simply ‘handle’ online abuse, emphasizing that it’s never okay to bully anyone, as you don’t know what someone is going through mentally. Bunnie vowed to always defend those who are targeted and promised to fight back against anyone who tries to bully her or her family.

Jelly Roll and his wife, Bunnie, have been publicly sharing their journey to expand their family. After Jelly Roll mentioned they were considering having a baby, Bunnie explained they’ve been undergoing IVF treatments. In a June 2024 Instagram post, she said they decided to share their experiences because of their open relationship and the challenges they’ve already faced. Despite the odds, they remain optimistic about adding to their family, which already includes Bailee and Noah. They’ve been consulting with IVF doctors and exploring all available options. Bunnie also revealed on her podcast, Dumb Blonde, in March 2025, that they are considering surrogacy because she is unable to carry a child herself due to health risks.

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2025-12-05 16:49